Film Noir

Kid in the Front Row put up up a post on Thursday at the start of which he said: 'If you have a blog, answer these there (doesn't matter whether you blog about movies, your stamp collection, or dragon sightings.... answer the questions!)' If you would like to do your own answers on your blog or if you haven't got a blog in the comments section below please do go ahead. So here are my answers:


1. What film has been sitting on your shelf for six months waiting to be watched? 
I don't have films sitting around waiting to be watched, I buy/download them and watch them straight away.


2. What is the one film you know word for word? 
There isn't one there are many.  Life of Brian, Citizen Kane, Casablanca, Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, Alien, Weird Science, Star Trek films.


3. What screen character breaks your heart?
I know people will think I'm being really silly by saying this, BUT. in Star Trek II; The Wrath of Khan. William Shatner gives an incredible performance when Spock dies. Even thinking about those scenes now gives me a lump in my throat.  


4. If you could bring an actor back from the dead, and had to pair them on screen with a current actor (who is no older than 40), what would your combo be? 
Groucho Marx and Robin Williams (Circa Good Morning Vietnam).


5. How often do you check your phone in the cinema? 
I don't go to cinema. Too expensive and the films don't justify it. They are aimed at 18-24 year olds. There are rarely any foreign films or 18 films these days.


6. What film do you love which no-one else quite seems to 'get'? 
Xanadu!! OK so I saw it when I was 7 and ever since I've loved it. Part of it is because I'm a massive ELO fan and Jeff Lynne wrote songs for it.  it's also a bit of a time travel/mythology type film, there is a brilliant Art Deco building in it, the Pan Pacific Auditorium (which has since burned down 1989) It's just a shame it's about roller disco! 


7. What is your favourite Al Pacino film?
Godfather trilogy.  I don't rate Pacino as a particularly good actor, I'd rather see Robert De Niro in Goodfellas, Jackie Brown, Casino, Untouchables


8. Why do they always manage to make us go one size bigger with the popcorn?
I don't buy it 


9. Share one memory from a cinema visit long ago.
The first film I saw at cinema was Disney's The Jungle Book. I was about 9 and I remember it being near Christmas time because Mickeys Christmas Carol came on before the film started.   The cinema itself was a 60's build with low slung ceilings in the main entrance area. I wasn't sure what to expect, I can remember the smell of the cinema and when the red curtains opened and the lights went down I remember not knowing how my eyes would take in all the picture at once because the screen seemed so utterly massive. This was the first and last time my family went to the cinema.


10. Have you ever used a line from a movie, in your life, without anyone knowing you stole it? Give details. 
I'm forever using lines from films/songs in my job, students haven't seen the films I have so don't appreciate it.. I like testing myself when I'm reading the register, names of students that remind me of films or songs often work their way into my greeting of that particular student..  lines like "I'm Brian and so is my wife!" if there is a Brian in the room.. or "Lydia oh Lydia, oh have you seen Lydia? Lydia the tattooed Lady!" if there is a Lydia in the room.. it's worth it for the looks of blank expression on their faces.